Leaf cutting ant queen (Acromyrmex coronatus)

(ENG) This is a young queen of Acromyrmex coronatus, Acromyrmex subsists mostly on a particular species of fungus (genus Leucocoprinus), which it cultivates on a medium of masticated leaf tissue. Before leaving their parent colonies, winged females take a small section of fungus into their bucchal pouches, with which the subsequently wingless queens 'seed' the fungus gardens of incipient colonies, cutting and collecting the first few sections of leaf themselves.